Dinosaur Dig Triple Chocolate Sheet Cake

Inspire young paleontologists with this Dinosaur Dig Triple Chocolate Sheet Cake! Chocolate bones are easily made with a dinosaur bone mold.

Dinosaur Dig Triple Chocolate Sheet Cake

I’ve had the idea for this cake since last summer when I was perusing a craft store and found sand molds shaped like dinosaur bones. I immediately knew their purpose, and after I checked the tag for a non-toxic label (yes!) I added it to my basket. I’m not sure why it’s taken so long for my idea to come to fruition, but with Jurassic World’s summer blockbuster status, I figure there’s no better time than the present.


Note to busy parents: this is some of the easiest cake decorating you will do. And, more good news! There are many food-safe dinosaur bone molds available now, aside from this similar (if not identical) sand mold I used. I love these because they are smaller and you could fit more than one type of dinosaur on the cake.

Dinosaur Dig Triple Chocolate Sheet Cake

Creating the bones.

I only used 6 of the ten pieces that came with the sand mold set because all of the pieces wouldn’t fit on top of the cake. A standard package (1 pound) of white almond bark will fill the 6 pieces that I used evenly about 3/4 full. After filling the molds, just place them into the freezer until solid, and then pop them out. After that, you may choose to dry-brush a little cocoa powder on the bones for an aged look. The final step is arranging the candy bones on top of the cake – so easy!

Dinosaur Dig Triple Chocolate Sheet Cake

Believe it or not. I had trouble finding a scratch recipe for an 18×12-inch chocolate sheet cake. Most websites I visited had scratch recipes for 13×9-inch pans. And others simply recommend using two boxes of cake mix for an 18×12 inch cake. In the end, I adapted this yellow cake recipe into a chocolate version. I’m really pleased with the texture! Moist and tender – and the chocolate-chocolate chip ganache frosting really puts it over the top. You could stop at the ganache frosting for an all-purpose chocolate cake for any occasion. Especially when you need to feed a crowd. But for the Dino Dig Cake I added “dirt” on top – that is, one package of pulverized Oreo cookies.

Dinosaur Dig Triple Chocolate Sheet Cake
Dinosaur Dig Triple Chocolate Sheet Cake

This is a great all-purpose chocolate sheet cake for your recipe box. The candy dinosaur bones and crushed Oreo “dirt” decoration could easily be omitted and replaced with your favorite candies or sprinkles. Enjoy!

Dinosaur Dig Triple Chocolate Sheet Cake

Heather Baird
This is a great all-purpose chocolate sheet cake for your recipe box. The dinosaur bones are easily made using molds. See blog post for resources.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
30 minutes freeze time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 24

Ingredients
  

Chocolate cake

  • 18 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
  • 3 cups sugar
  • 6 large eggs at room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour sifted (I like White Lily soft winter wheat flour)
  • 1 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 cup unsweet Dutch-process cocoa powder sifted
  • 1 1/2 cups whole milk

Chocolate chip ganache icing

  • 24 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter cubed
  • 1 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

Dino toppings

  • 1 package 14.4 ounce Oreo sandwich cookies
  • 1 pound white almond bark or candy coating wafers
  • Unsweet cocoa powder
  • Choco-rocks optional

Instructions
 

  • Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350F. Spray an 18x12x2-inch sheet pan with flour based baking spray, or grease with butter and flour; tap out excess flour.
  • Cream the butter and sugar on medium-high speed in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy (about 5 minutes). On medium speed, add the eggs, 2 at a time, then the vanilla. Mix well.
  • Sift together the flour, salt, baking soda and cocoa powder. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the flour and whole milk, alternating between the two and beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix just until smooth. NOTE: Try to avoid over-mixing here; I ended up with a scant few tunnels in my cake from mixing too much. Scrape down the bowl and mix any pockets of flour or butter you find by hand using a rubber spatula. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick tester comes out clean. Cool in the pan to room temperature.
  • Make the icing: Place 24 oz. semisweet chocolate chips and heavy cream in a large microwave-safe bowl. Heat at 100% power at 30 second intervals until the mixture can be whisked smooth (you can also do this on the stove top in a saucepan over medium-low heat). Whisk in the butter; mix until completely melted. Let the mixture stand until cool but still pourable (usually about 15 to 20 minutes). Stir in the mini chips. Pour the icing over the cake and spread evenly with an off-set spatula.
  • Make the Dino toppings: Place the Oreo sandwich cookies in the bowl of a food processor and grind until fine; set aside.
  • Melt the white almond bark in a medium heat-proof bowl at 100% power in the microwave at 30 second increments (or, in a saucepan on the stovetop over medium-low heat). When the mixture is smooth, fill the dinosaur bone molds about 3/4 full. Place in the freezer until set. Remove the pieces from the molds while they are still frozen (they will pop out easier!). Load a dry paint brush with unsweet cocoa powder and brush the candy bones until they appear aged and weathered.
  • Sprinkle half of the pulverized Oreo “dirt” over the surface of the cake and arrange the dinosaur bones on top. Use additional “dirt” to fill in around the bones. Decorate cake slices with choco-rocks, if using.
  • Store the cake covered in plastic wrap at room temperature.

Notes

More fun ideas!
Allow kids (of all ages!) to decorate cake slices with choco-rocks.
Cover the dinosaur bones on the cake completely with the “Oreo” dirt, and provide dry pastry brushes for “excavation” of the dinosaur bones.
Buy an extra pound of candy coating and make extra bones; tag them individually with specimen labels “T-Rex Tibia” or “Velociraptor Femur”.
Keyword champagne ganache, chocolate rocks, oreo crumbs
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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michelle lopez
michelle lopez
8 years ago

OMG, Heather, this is amazing! In Japan they have a similar candy bar that has two layers of chocolate; the first layer is an even, thick dark chocolate bar you crack with a hammer (that comes with the candy bar) to reveal white chocolate dinosaur bones. I love it and wish they had it here!

Heather Baird
Heather Baird
8 years ago
Reply to  michelle lopez

Aah, that sounds so awesome and right up my alley! I love interactive candy. I recently discovered Yowie chocolate, which is a hollow chocolate character with an endangered animal figurine inside. I may go broke trying to collect them all. 🙂

Anonymous
Anonymous
8 years ago

Wow this is really realistic-looking and creative. I've been looking for a good ganache and chocolate recipe, so I will probably use this! This cake seems really great!

Plain Chicken
Plain Chicken
8 years ago

such a cute idea!!!!

Colette (Coco)
Colette (Coco)
8 years ago

This is amazing! Bot my Daisy and my nephew would love this cake. I already have the choco-rocks. I just need the dinosaur skele mold.
Love your imagination, Heather!

Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar
8 years ago

This is too cool! I want this for my next birthday!!

œuvres d'art originales
œuvres d'art originales
8 years ago

This cake is simply brilliant! Kudos to you, Heather. Cheers, Ardith

La Table De Nana
La Table De Nana
8 years ago

ADORBZ!

Beauty Follower
Beauty Follower
8 years ago

A h aha such a fun cake!

http://beautyfollower.blogspot.gr/

June Burns
June Burns
8 years ago

Wow what a creative cake! And it looks delicious too, so chocolaty 🙂 I sure wouldn't mind having this for my birthday, lol 😛

Anca
Anca
8 years ago

The cake looks incredible and it's so easy to make. I will have to look for some moulds 🙂

Tina @ Sugar Bean Bakers
Tina @ Sugar Bean Bakers
8 years ago

This is amazing, Heather. <3

Bumblebee
Bumblebee
8 years ago

I'm about to buy one of those sand molds, but I'm not sure if the solidified candy coating (are these candy melts?) will easily pop out of them since the molds are inflexible? Can you help me with that? C: Thanks so much in advance!

Heather Baird
Heather Baird
8 years ago
Reply to  Bumblebee

Hi Bumblebee! If you're ordering the molds like I used, then they have a little flex to them. They will flex outward at the openings and the candy easily pops out. The smallest piece (the arm/claw) was a little difficult to remove, but with some prying and tapping it came out in one piece. The silicone molds I linked will be mega flexible, but they yield much smaller candy bones. You can use white candy melts like the ones used for covering cake pops, or candy coating from the grocery store, which is usually labelled as "almond bark" (although it… Read more »

Unknown
Unknown
8 years ago

oh wow *-* the recipe it's easy but the idea is amazing!

Anonymous
Anonymous
8 years ago

Love this idea! I purchased the sand mold that you linked to on Amazon, but there is not a "non-toxic" marking. Just says conforms to ASTM F963. Is this still safe?

Heather Baird
Heather Baird
8 years ago
Reply to  Anonymous

Hi Anonymous! I looked into ASTM F963, and it's a US federal guidline that makes toys safe for children in many ways, including using materials that are non-toxic for their plastic toys. So, looks like you're good to go!

Unknown
Unknown
7 years ago

This is so cute! I want to make it for my sons birthday on Saturday. If I make it on the night before should I store the completed cake in the fridge or just cover at room temperature? I wasn't sure with the chocolate on top. Thanks!!

Heather Baird
Heather Baird
7 years ago
Reply to  Unknown

Hi Laura!

You can store it at room temp overnight. I suggest covering it with plastic wrap. Thanks for asking!

Unknown
Unknown
7 years ago

Thanks for your quick response! ?? I'm excited to make it!!!

Heather Baird
Heather Baird
7 years ago
Reply to  Unknown

Good luck! 🙂

Unknown
Unknown
7 years ago

Making this and the rainbow candy cake for a combo party for my youngest two. I made your chocolate chip cookies and milk cake for my oldest's birthday, and the Birthday Cake for mine! Safe to say we're fans of Sprinkle Bakes in this house!

MrsM
MrsM
7 years ago

What a great idea thanks! I am making this at the moment and would you believe it the tail bones are missing from the package. Devo!
I made the mistake of over filling the molds. My bones are a bit worse for wear but luckily that fits the bill!
Such a beautiful cake mix. Will be the one I stick with.

Anonymous
Anonymous
7 years ago

Hi there, how long can I store this cake and how should I store it?

Anonymous
Anonymous
6 years ago

if i put another layer on top, do you think the oreo cookies mix will taste good in between the layers?

Heather Baird
Heather Baird
6 years ago
Reply to  Anonymous

I think it will be delicious!

Anonymous
Anonymous
6 years ago

Hi Heather! We are making this dinosaur cake for my daughter's birthday party, and I am having trouble tracking down the almond bark where I live. Would I be able to melt white chocolate chips and use that to fill the molds? I am a total baking novice!!! Thank you for any help. 🙂

Heather Baird
Heather Baird
6 years ago
Reply to  Anonymous

Yes! White chocolate chips should work. Sometimes chips will be labeled "vanilla baking chips" or "white baking chips", and these won't have any cocoa butter in them. They are made to hold their shape during baking and will not melt as well. Just be sure the chips you use have cocoa butter in them, or use white chocolate baking bars. If you have a well-stocked craft store locally, you can purchase white candy melts which will work well for this project. They don't contain cocoa butter but as their name indicates, they melt easily and pour smoothly.

Anonymous
Anonymous
5 years ago

Do I need to make any adjustments for high altitude?

Anonymous
Anonymous
4 years ago

Does the cake freeze well? Can it be frozen with the icing?

David Vitrano
David Vitrano
1 year ago

Where can I find and buy the Dino Bone Molds?

Dani
Dani
1 year ago

Hi!
If you do not find silicon mould, you can use plastic mould and fondant instead of almond bark. It worked very well for me! And it is fun for kids also!
Thanks Heather for the great idea! 🙂